Tips for Creating a Company First Aid & CPR Program That Really Works

If an emergency occurred in your workplace, would your employees know what to do? First aid
training is a vital part of today’s corporate America. Think about what would happen if someone in
your office had a medical emergency and needed first aid or CPR before emergency personnel
could arrive. Is there anyone in your office that can assist in a crisis?

Why First Aid Training?

First aid training saves lives, plain and simple. Everyone’s seen first aid and CPR in the movies,
but actually doing it is drastically different. Bystanders have to help if they witness an emergency,
and to do so effectively they need training. Also, it can take an ambulance 8-12 minutes to arrive
on scene to give aid. Those 8-12 minutes can be devastating to a victim if aid is not given at the
scene.

Developing a First Aid Program

Bring in a qualified first aid instructor and your employees will get more than just a CPR card –
they’ll learn how to save lives. You’ll want first aid training that utilizes a live person instead of
relying on videos and books to teach CPR.
If your company has an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), you’ll need to decide how many
people should be trained to operate the device. Should everyone be trained, or just a select few?
In any case, you’ll want more than one person, just in case that person is gone for the day, or
worse, becomes the person needing assistance. It is important to use a consultant who
understands Public Access Defibrillation programs and program design.

Managing the Program

A properly managed program is vital. A poorly managed program is worse than no first aid
program at all. A program director should find a professional training organization that is
knowledgeable about regulations and offers complete medical direction and oversight. This
support can be invaluable in managing a first aid program.

Oftentimes, a company buys an AED and thinks they’re done. Instead, they need to renew the
prescription yearly in order to remain legal. To ensure that the company’s liability is limited when
the AED is used, the first aid program administrator should make sure they are compliant with
local, state and federal laws and regulations. You’ll also want to find out if you’ll need to register
with the local emergency response system and if you’ll need a doctor’s oversight and program
approval. These are only two small components of medical and legal compliance, and it varies
by city and state.

A successful first aid training program is one of those things that everyone should have, but they
hope they never need to use. The reward in knowing you’ve helped save a life, simply by training
employees in first aid, CPR and AEDs will be well worth the effort and cost.